Villa Reale di Marlia hosts exhibition linking Elisa Bonaparte and Mimì Pecci Blunt

The Villa Reale di Marlia near Lucca is the venue for a new exhibition that juxtaposes the lives of Napoleon’s sister Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi (1777‑1820) and the 20th‑century cultural patron Mimì Pecci Blunt (1885‑1971). The show, running until 16 August, showcases fifteen letters—ten autographed by Elisa—newly uncovered from archives, offering fresh insight into her political and cultural activities during the Napoleonic era. It also displays documents, photographs and an inventory of Mimì’s acquisitions that illustrate her work restoring the villa as a cultural hub.

On 31 July, the exhibition was complemented by a concert of classic Neapolitan songs performed in the villa’s fresco hall. Soprano Sara Guidi, accompanied by pianist Eugenio Milazzo and organized by the cultural association “Mettiamoci all’Opera,” presented works by D’Annibale, Cannio, De Curtis and others. The program was introduced by Marco Sizzi, president of the association, and followed a guided tour conducted by Roberta Martinelli and Simonetta Giurlani Pardini. Both events are supported by the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Lucca and the municipality of Lucca, aiming to highlight the artistic and social legacy of the two women.